Ronnie O’Sullivan committed to professional snooker until at least 2030
Ronnie O’Sullivan has indicated he intends to remain in professional snooker until at least 2030, with securing an eighth World Championship title his primary motivation for continuing, reports BritPanorama.
The seven-time world champion, widely considered the sport’s greatest ever player, made the announcement ahead of the German Masters, quelling speculation about an imminent retirement.
An eighth Crucible triumph would see O’Sullivan draw level with Fred Davis and John Pulman as joint second on the all-time winners list. The 50-year-old has set his sights on achieving an unprecedented 8-8-8 record across snooker’s three major tournaments — the World Championship, Masters, and UK Championship.
Speaking about his ambitions, O’Sullivan stated: “I’d like to win one more [World Championship]. I will probably have three or four genuine attempts at it. I think that is going to be my main goal for the rest of my career, to try and win one more.”
The Rocket emphasised that silverware is not his sole focus. He added, “If I can that would be great, but still just try and enjoy the game, enjoy the crowds and enjoy the tournaments.” O’Sullivan also referenced the significance of the number eight in Chinese culture, noting, “It would be 8-8-8 [Worlds, Masters, UK Championship]. Lucky for the Chinese, they love a number 8. That would be nice. That would be great to do that.”
However, O’Sullivan faces considerable obstacles on his path to an eighth world title, with his recent results falling short of his usual standards. The former world No 1 has managed to reach just a single ranking event final since the 2024/25 campaign began. His preparations were disrupted after withdrawing from the Masters at the last minute due to medical reasons. This non-ranking event had been seen as an important opportunity for competitive match practice ahead of the Crucible.
O’Sullivan acknowledged that missing the prestigious Alexandra Palace tournament could impact his Sheffield prospects, admitting, “I think I might have left it a little bit late.” He outlined his limited schedule before the World Championship, which commences on April 18, saying, “I’ve got this tournament, Hong Kong [Grand Prix] and then maybe Yushan [World Open] and that’s probably it for me before Sheffield.”
Despite his concerns about preparation, the Rocket refused to rule out a successful campaign this year. “I’m not saying I can’t do it this year; I’d have to do alright in some of these tournaments beforehand,” O’Sullivan said. “Maybe if I get to the quarters of the Worlds, you never know. It’s a different animal, that tournament; once you get to that stage, anybody can win it really.”
As the anticipation builds for O’Sullivan’s bid, it illustrates how the line between ambition and uncertainty defines sports careers, a reality reminiscent of the pressures faced by athletes in pursuit of greatness.
